Posted by: Adam McCann

When people think of Florida, they probably imagine a sunny paradise with palm trees and white sand along a wraparound coastline. But the Sunshine State attracts folks from across the globe for more than its natural beauty and balmy climate. As the fourth largest economy in the U.S., one of the largest job creators and the address of the world’s most famous theme park, Florida has also cultivated a reputation as one of the best states in which to raise kids.

Since December 2014, Florida has been the third most populous state in the U.S. But although Florida is growing and has a strong economy, there are some drawbacks. For example, parts of Florida are susceptible to hurricane damage. The most recent to make landfall in Florida, Hurricane Michael, caused an estimated $1.5 billion in damages.

Inevitably, some cities in the Sunshine State will be more conducive to family life than others. So in order to identify those that offer the best combination of family-friendly factors, WalletHub compared 183 Florida cities across 21 key metrics. Our data set ranges from housing affordability to school-system quality to general affordability. The results, additional expert commentary and a detailed methodology can be found below.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/17258/geochart-FL-families.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2QVwMl2>  

Best Cities for Families in Florida

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	‘Family Life & Fun’ Rank	‘Education, Health & Safety’ Rank	‘Affordability’ Rank	‘Socio-economics’ Rank
1	Oviedo, FL	75.47	23	2	7	7
2	Fruit Cove, FL	72.43	131	9	2	5
3	Horizon West, FL	72.15	3	147	11	4
4	Parkland, FL	71.54	36	4	41	1
5	Palm Valley, FL	71.47	110	9	1	26
6	Fleming Island, FL	71.26	167	11	3	2
7	Wekiwa Springs, FL	69.50	43	42	10	10
8	Boca Raton, FL	67.02	6	21	59	25
9	Winter Park, FL	66.74	22	31	12	46
10	Weston, FL	66.48	31	5	97	13
11	Bloomingdale, FL	66.43	60	149	6	8
12	Palm City, FL	66.39	173	3	19	9
13	Cooper City, FL	66.30	95	13	40	6
14	East Lake, FL	65.98	83	90	13	12
15	West Melbourne, FL	65.71	29	6	30	60
16	Pace, FL	65.27	93	58	8	14
17	Estero, FL	64.43	182	43	16	3
18	Lynn Haven, FL	64.28	79	20	23	43
19	Lutz, FL	64.23	96	34	5	53
20	Winter Springs, FL	64.16	152	7	18	20
21	Wesley Chapel, FL	64.15	42	41	26	30
22	Northdale, FL	63.55	24	120	20	52
23	Winter Garden, FL	63.52	21	37	74	16
24	Rockledge, FL	63.41	137	16	15	56
25	Navarre, FL	63.24	73	56	9	57
26	Bellview, FL	62.40	120	111	14	37
27	Jupiter, FL	62.36	91	18	55	17
28	Vero Beach South, FL	62.17	44	36	39	48
29	Citrus Park, FL	62.12	19	108	34	49
30	Naples, FL	61.92	171	1	94	45
31	Clermont, FL	60.80	107	29	52	19
32	Ormond Beach, FL	60.61	37	54	62	31
33	Alafaya, FL	60.29	16	81	70	42
34	Wellington, FL	59.97	104	33	66	22
35	Dunedin, FL	59.60	69	44	61	39
36	The Acreage, FL	59.45	97	140	47	11
37	North Port, FL	59.22	179	24	58	41
38	Valrico, FL	59.13	140	63	17	55
39	Jacksonville Beach, FL	59.10	94	84	4	80
40	Port Orange, FL	59.07	134	26	78	29
41	Fort Walton Beach, FL	58.88	20	19	64	121
42	Land O' Lakes, FL	58.86	128	92	21	65
43	Lakeside, FL	58.74	154	57	29	54
44	Crestview, FL	58.52	52	32	38	106
45	Temple Terrace, FL	58.08	61	77	32	66
46	St. Cloud, FL	57.77	53	27	99	70
47	Wright, FL	57.64	11	12	85	98
48	Royal Palm Beach, FL	57.61	123	39	81	18
49	Ensley, FL	57.35	51	97	35	92
50	Coconut Creek, FL	57.31	99	45	83	35
51	Carrollwood, FL	57.26	86	120	27	78
52	Altamonte Springs, FL	57.20	92	50	46	71
53	Palm Beach Gardens, FL	57.10	168	40	60	24
54	New Smyrna Beach, FL	57.08	122	46	91	27
55	Port St. Lucie, FL	57.07	158	8	107	51
56	Palm Harbor, FL	57.07	159	91	28	47
57	Sebastian, FL	56.98	162	22	77	63
58	Edgewater, FL	56.76	143	15	90	69
59	Four Corners, FL	56.71	38	72	86	62
60	Cape Coral, FL	56.62	150	23	82	67
61	Pembroke Pines, FL	56.61	132	47	75	33
62	Ocoee, FL	56.37	88	48	63	79
63	North Fort Myers, FL	56.09	183	79	22	15
64	Lake Magdalene, FL	55.96	49	146	31	101
65	Riverview, FL	55.86	84	126	25	82
66	Bonita Springs, FL	55.85	164	74	76	21
67	Ferry Pass, FL	55.58	34	85	48	105
68	Doral, FL	55.49	13	38	158	40
69	Coral Gables, FL	55.17	105	25	133	36
70	Palmetto Bay, FL	55.12	151	28	105	34
71	Miami Lakes, FL	55.10	72	17	136	64
72	Tampa, FL	54.94	5	52	87	151
73	Davie, FL	54.78	80	67	69	76
74	Apopka, FL	54.76	108	88	51	61
75	Merritt Island, FL	54.64	144	14	43	100
76	Key West, FL	54.58	4	75	165	32
77	Miramar, FL	53.97	47	73	120	50
78	Coral Springs, FL	53.80	74	53	128	44
79	Tarpon Springs, FL	53.73	75	65	54	116
80	Titusville, FL	53.57	136	86	33	86
81	Brandon, FL	53.50	76	122	42	95
82	Sarasota, FL	53.28	12	66	116	117
83	DeLand, FL	53.12	9	102	111	104
84	Plant City, FL	53.07	41	115	84	75
85	DeBary, FL	52.79	147	82	56	77
86	Palm Coast, FL	52.65	142	104	110	23
87	Gainesville, FL	52.61	28	99	57	131
88	Jacksonville, FL	52.57	46	112	37	122
89	Largo, FL	52.31	129	93	49	85
90	Lakeland, FL	52.19	115	70	68	96
91	Pensacola, FL	51.89	161	101	24	113
92	Plantation, FL	51.89	174	61	101	38
93	Palm Bay, FL	51.87	153	51	72	111
94	Casselberry, FL	51.83	156	110	44	74
95	Town 'n' Country, FL	51.74	56	139	71	109
96	Cutler Bay, FL	51.44	125	64	125	58
97	Melbourne, FL	51.42	63	107	80	93
98	Brent, FL	51.23	89	76	50	140
99	Clearwater, FL	51.18	70	105	79	94
100	Tallahassee, FL	51.10	57	130	36	125
101	Pinellas Park, FL	50.85	102	117	65	88
102	Winter Haven, FL	50.75	127	98	53	107
103	Sunrise, FL	50.08	155	71	103	81
104	Bradenton, FL	50.05	141	80	100	89
105	Richmond West, FL	49.99	78	155	129	28
106	East Lake-Orient Park, FL	49.90	8	123	96	159
107	St. Petersburg, FL	49.84	67	148	45	97
108	Orlando, FL	49.68	2	132	131	130
109	Margate, FL	49.42	170	62	117	73
110	Tamarac, FL	49.19	169	69	115	72
111	Port Charlotte, FL	49.06	176	138	73	84
112	Deltona, FL	48.78	139	113	95	99
113	Fort Myers, FL	48.30	55	96	108	133
114	Ruskin, FL	47.92	39	142	93	144
115	University (Orange County), FL	47.92	10	100	121	152
116	Ocala, FL	47.86	25	119	88	143
117	Boynton Beach, FL	47.80	85	127	113	91
118	Spring Hill, FL	46.62	119	118	102	119
119	Lehigh Acres, FL	46.55	62	129	92	148
120	Sanford, FL	46.54	71	136	89	136
121	Deerfield Beach, FL	46.22	116	103	124	112
122	Haines City, FL	46.02	58	59	137	155
123	Bayonet Point, FL	45.66	175	95	106	103
124	Palm River-Clair Mel, FL	45.33	14	137	114	168
125	Pine Hills, FL	45.27	18	87	122	169
126	Panama City, FL	45.26	87	145	98	129
127	The Hammocks, FL	44.85	100	152	152	59
128	West Pensacola, FL	44.77	114	68	67	175
129	Greenacres, FL	44.50	126	182	112	90
130	Hollywood, FL	44.41	145	89	135	123
131	The Crossings, FL	44.39	81	180	146	68
132	Kissimmee, FL	44.33	48	78	155	146
133	Hialeah Gardens, FL	44.15	117	35	157	142
134	South Bradenton, FL	43.95	66	83	104	167
135	Egypt Lake-Leto, FL	43.67	15	133	132	163
136	Ives Estates, FL	43.62	59	167	126	132
137	Holiday, FL	43.57	148	131	109	139
138	Golden Gate, FL	42.76	33	49	144	161
139	Buenaventura Lakes, FL	42.74	26	125	140	154
140	Delray Beach, FL	42.65	157	144	127	108
141	North Lauderdale, FL	42.62	111	106	139	135
142	Leesburg, FL	42.43	68	171	119	115
143	Poinciana, FL	41.74	112	173	130	110
144	Sunny Isles Beach, FL	41.16	181	30	171	114
145	Kendall, FL	41.07	163	170	138	83
146	Lealman, FL	40.78	27	116	118	182
147	Daytona Beach, FL	40.51	32	163	123	162
148	Oakland Park, FL	40.36	77	158	149	120
149	West Palm Beach, FL	39.53	109	165	141	128
150	Kendale Lakes, FL	39.18	149	135	160	102
151	Fort Pierce, FL	38.83	90	128	151	165
152	Immokalee, FL	38.11	30	94	156	179
153	Oak Ridge, FL	38.08	7	176	150	180
154	Fountainebleau, FL	37.82	45	177	162	134
155	Princeton, FL	37.54	40	134	159	172
156	Dania Beach, FL	36.97	138	143	153	153
157	Riviera Beach, FL	36.83	113	166	143	150
158	Country Club, FL	36.70	17	168	169	158
158	Westchester, FL	36.70	124	109	178	87
160	Fort Lauderdale, FL	36.68	101	169	154	145
161	University (Hillsborough County), FL	36.48	1	154	147	183
162	Hialeah, FL	36.46	135	60	182	147
163	North Miami Beach, FL	35.91	121	159	170	126
164	Palm Springs, FL	35.88	50	164	142	176
165	Hallandale Beach, FL	35.29	103	156	166	149
166	Lauderhill, FL	34.94	130	175	134	157
167	Pompano Beach, FL	34.58	166	178	145	141
168	Homestead, FL	34.44	82	157	164	166
169	Lauderdale Lakes, FL	34.17	160	172	148	156
170	Miami Beach, FL	33.31	106	179	180	118
171	Lake Worth, FL	33.19	54	181	161	160
172	Sweetwater, FL	33.18	178	55	174	174
173	Kendall West, FL	32.83	133	160	172	138
174	Coral Terrace, FL	32.83	118	161	176	137
175	Golden Glades, FL	31.56	35	183	168	171
176	Miami Gardens, FL	31.14	172	150	163	173
177	Miami, FL	30.86	64	114	183	177
178	University Park, FL	30.75	177	124	181	124
179	Tamiami, FL	30.66	180	151	179	127
180	Leisure City, FL	29.91	65	141	175	178
181	West Little River, FL	29.91	98	153	167	181
182	North Miami, FL	28.67	146	174	177	164
183	South Miami Heights, FL	28.27	165	161	173	170

Ask the Experts

Families share a number of common priorities when choosing a new place to call home. With that in mind, we asked a panel of experts in fields such as family studies and public health to share their insight on evaluating the best Florida cities. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and their thoughts on the following key questions:

• What are some tips for young families looking for quality public schools and affordable housing in Florida?

• How can local officials in Florida make their cities more attractive to young families?

• Looking just within Florida, to what degree is child development and a family’s quality of life influenced by the city in which they live?

< >

• Cori Harvey Associate Professor of Law at Florida A&M University College of Law
• Gregory Lukasik Instructor of Sociology in the College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University
• Colleen Fawcett Professor of Early Childhood at Palm Beach State College

Methodology

To help families find the most livable cities in the Sunshine State, WalletHub compared 183 Florida cities (other cities were not included in the sample due to limited data access) across four key dimensions: 1) Family Life & Fun, 2) Education, Health & Safety, 3) Affordability and 4) Socio-economics. We then compiled 21 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights.

In order to obtain the final ranking, we attributed a score between 0 and 100 to correspond with the value of each metric. We then calculated the weighted sum of the scores and used the overall score to rank the cities. Together, the points attributed to the four major categories below add up to 100 points.

Family Life & Fun – Total Points: 25

• Playgrounds per Capita: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
• Number of Attractions (e.g., zoos, museums, theaters): Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
• Share of Families with Children Younger than Age 18: Double Weight (~8.33 Points)
• WalletHub “Weather” Ranking: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
• Average Commute Time: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Education, Health & Safety – Total Points: 25

• Quality of School System: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• High School Graduation Rate: Half Weight (~1.47 Points)
• Air Quality: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• Pediatricians per Capita: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• Share of Uninsured Children (newborn to age 18): Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• Violent-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)
• Property-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)

Affordability – Total Points: 25

• Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as the median annual family income divided by housing costs; accounts for both rent and house prices.
• General Affordability: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as the median family annual income divided by cost of living index.

Socio-economics – Total Points: 25

• Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Two-Parent Families: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Families Below Poverty Line: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Households Receiving Food Stamps: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Wealth Gap: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)

 

Sources: Data used to create these rankings were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Renwood RealtyTrac LLC, SchoolDigger.com, Yelp, Areavibes, County Health Rankings, TripAdvisor and WalletHub research.

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